A report from OCLC Online Computer Library Center says libraries need a makeover. The report, "Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources" (all 200-plus pages of which are available for download), indicates that library patrons see libraries as a resource for books but not necessarily other media; that 50 to 60 percent of patrons are satisfied with libraries’ various services; and that libraries could do better in marketing their services to the public.
Teenage and college-age respondents from the United States were generally neutral about whether their libraries were making information freely available and promoting literacy. And while 94 percent of American respondents over 65 saw the library as a "place to learn," only 69 percent of teenagers shared that perception.
Talking With Talis, a Web site that features conversations with luminaries in information science, includes an interview about the report with George Needham, vice president for member services at OCLC. He also talks about other issues, including the popularity of library Web sites, library blogging, Google, and library staffing.
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